The Turnbo Manuscripts

by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925

In refering to the early schools on Big Creek in Taney County, Mo., Mr.
John Bias son of Hiram Bias has this to say of a school he attended when
he was a little fellow "I remember going to school to William Adair
who taught at the spring on the west side of the creek opposite where old
Jimmie Jones mill stood in the latter 50s. This is just above the
old John Pelham Place that is owned now by Joe Gloss Haskins. Mr. Adair
taught the school in a dilapidated old cabin with dirt floor with openings
between the logs large enough to throw a grown dog through. "I well
recollect" said Mr. Bias "that school books then were scarce and
I only had the fragment of a blue back spelling book and my first lesson
began at Deed School. The teacher had 13 students among them was Wadie Pettigo
a man 40 years old. He came to Big Creek with the old man Baker. Mr. Baker
had two sons named Wess and John who also went to school. Wess Baker married
Miss Sarah Smith daughter of Charley Smith who owned the mill where the
Pate Duggins Place is. Also Charley Smith son of old Charley Smith attended
this school. Jim and Elias Tabor sons of Esquire Tom Tabor were also students.
In after years Elias Tabor was a preacher of the universalist faith. Miss
Patient Tabor daughter of one eyed John Tabor was another pupil there. Jim
and John (Jack) Jones sons of Hugh Jones and Henry Jones son of old Jones
the hitter all attended the school. I sure recollect how Jim Jones would
pinch me when he was sitting in reach of me."